Mimosa

Mimosa, Albizia julibrissin

Introduced from China, Mimosa, also called the Persian Silk Tree, can now be found throughout a large portion of the United States. The showy pink flowers which bloom from May to July make it a popular ornamental tree. Within Florida and Tennessee, it is considered an exotic pest plant. Although this plant tolerates moderate drought, most soil, and thrives in high summer heat, it is not winter hardy and much prefers watersheds. For these reasons, as well as other susceptibilities such as wilt and weak wood, mimosa has not become a highly invasive issue as of this moment. States where mimosa is becoming more an issue have encouraged alternatives to mimosa for planting such as redbud and flowering dogwood.